ADB as a banking institution offers loans, grants, equity, guarantees, technical assistance, and

transaction advisory services. Its knowledge base is solid and its fiduciary responsibilities are
steadfast.

Why did you choose ADB?

It’s hard for me to summarize in a few lines why I chose ADB. I guess the main reason
is that ADB is unique in being a multilateral development bank that hosts public and
private sector operations under the same roof. ADB strategy focuses on providing
clients with solutions that combine public and private financing.

I firmly believe that sustainable development can only happen when the private and
public sector collaborate in achieving the same goal of providing good basic services,
such as access to clean energy and water, or access to markets through better
transportation.

I was right in my choice because during my five year tenure at ADB I have had the
opportunity to work on both public and private operations. I joined the Young
Professional Program as an Energy Specialist in the Pacific department that funds
projects in the Pacific region. I then moved to the Private Sector Operations
Department after two years and have been here ever since.

Another important reason to choose ADB is the focus on Asia, a region that hosts
among the most populous and fastest growing economies in the world. I love the
cultural variety of the region, as well as the challenging projects that need ADB
assistance.

It’s hard for me to summarize in a few lines why I chose ADB. I guess the main reason
is that ADB is unique in being a multilateral development bank that hosts public and
private sector operations under the same roof. ADB strategy focuses on providing
clients with solutions that combine public and private financing.

I firmly believe that sustainable development can only happen when the private and
public sector collaborate in achieving the same goal of providing good basic services,
such as access to clean energy and water, or access to markets through better
transportation.

I was right in my choice because during my five year tenure at ADB I have had the
opportunity to work on both public and private operations. I joined the Young
Professional Program as an Energy Specialist in the Pacific department that funds
projects in the Pacific region. I then moved to the Private Sector Operations
Department after two years and have been here ever since.
Another important reason to choose ADB is the focus on Asia, a region that hosts
among the most populous and fastest growing economies in the world. I love the
cultural variety of the region, as well as the challenging projects that need ADB
assistance.

What made you decide to work for the Asian

Development Bank?
I wanted to work in development to change the world, to improve the world. Because
I’ve seen there are some countries, some people that are luckier than others. I believe
that everybody should have a decent life and a good life. I studied poverty reduction
and development in university because I really believe that we need to change
something in this world.

What brought you to ADB? Did it turn out as you

expected?
Previous to joining ADB, I worked in London for the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Ernst & Young. The first International
Conference for Renewable Energies inspired me about the green market potential of
Asia, the PRC in particular. I find, because I was looking at the Asian market from
outside, that I appreciated it more and was excited by the opportunity to do
something that might make a difference.

I’m making my dreams come true at ADB. When I joined ADB there were no private
sector clean energy projects in the PRC. Over the past 6 years, thanks to strong
support from the management and team, we built a wide variety of green projects in
the PRC.

What made you join ADB?

I always wanted to work internationally and in development. My career as a diplomat
in the Austrian Foreign Service brought me to Mexico and Indonesia in the 1990s,
where I observed first-hand the fragility of economic success being threatened by
global financial crises. At the same time, I was taken aback by the political
oppression, extreme income disparity, and widespread poverty in the countries I
worked in. These realities reawakened my interest in development work that had
begun while I was studying political science in Vienna. When the opportunity arose
to work for the Asian Development Bank in 2004, I embraced it as it provided me
with an opportunity to marry my personal interests with a compelling mission and
cause.
What advice would you give to prospective candidates?

Prospective candidates should demonstrate passion for development and a genuine

interest in the organization and its work in the region. While strong technical
expertise and international experience are a prerequisite, a candidate’s soft skills are
equally important. ADB looks for candidates who can work well in teams and are
willing to be flexible and adaptable.

Candidates need to be patient when looking for a job at ADB. Often the first
application or interview may not get them in. Managers have many constraints when
hiring, such as expertise, regional experience, diversity of the team, etc. If candidates
cannot get a regular staff position immediately, they should look for consulting
opportunities. These tend to be an excellent opportunity for the candidate to get to
know the work and how they can contribute to the organization.

What made you join ADB?

I'm an optimistic realist. I believe that individual lives can be improved with focused
joint effort, that we are globally interconnected, and that the challenge of one group
of people is not to be borne in isolation or solitude. International development in its
rawest essence captures this and more. As both a bank and an international
development institution, ADB aims to improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable in
Asia and the Pacific. ADB, and the people whom the bank serves, are diverse in
nationality, ethnicity, and geography. I joined ADB because I wholeheartedly embrace
its mission.